Quinoa! Say it with me: "keen-wah." Now that your most burning question has been answered, let's talk about breakfast. Huh? You already knew how to say it? Smartypants.

Most of us think of quinoa as a savory addition to a meal (if we're thinking about quinoa at all). If you've never had it, I assure you - it IS a fantastic savory side. You can flavor it with damn near anything. I'll definitely have to pass along some savory applications soon. If you need one to tide you over, check out my Lemon Parsley Quinoa with Pine Nuts here.

For now? Sweet, sticky, warm, cozy, fantastically filling breakfast.

Banana Raspberry Maple Quinoa

Banana Raspberry Maple Quinoa

This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from Whole Living. Hop on over there to view the original recipe.

DIRECTIONSBefore you start cooking, rinse your quinoa. This is an important step. The package it came in may say it has been pre-washed or already rinsed, but rinse it again anyway - you'll get a lot of the bitterness out of it and rinse off any dirt or pesticides that might be there. Run clean water over it (in a strainer) until water runs clear and isn't bubbly any more as it runs off.

In a small sauce pan, combine almond milk, half & half, and quinoa. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. After boiling for 1 minute, reduce heat so your mixture is at a simmer. Simmer, covered, until most of your liquid is absorbed (12-15 minutes). Don't take the lid off every minute or two to check on it. Leave it be until at least 12 minutes, then you can check to see how it's doing.

It will thicken a LITTLE as it cools, so keep an eye on the consistency. If you like your "hot breakfast cereal" type dishes less thick, take it off when it's reached the consistency you like. Remove from heat. Add raspberries, cinnamon, and 2 tsp maple syrup. Stir to combine.

Ooey gooey warm breakfast heaven!

Top with desired ingredients. I top with the final teaspoon of maple syrup, a couple more raspberries, an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, sliced banana, and a drizzle of coconut milk - the thick, rich kind that comes from a can - not the kind in the refrigerated section with the milk. Not pictured, but a most welcome addition: slivered or sliced almonds.

My recommendation? Don't make extra. You'll end up eating it until you explode.

Rice Krispies Treats are old and busted. These Cranberry Twisted Peanut Butter Cereal Treats? You got it - they're the new hotness. This recipe was inspired by SavorTheThyme.com and the original is here.

The original is a nod to Rice Krispies Treats with the addition of a few flavors and the deletion of gluten. I wanted to keep with the gluten-free theme since I'm on that kind of kick this week, but I wanted to amp it up even more.

Man, I always forget how much I love cereal. I'm a huge breakfast eater. Huge. But I really just never think of cereal. When I do, it's heavy, hearty, fatty goodness like peanut butter or pumpkin seed granola or eggs and avocados (holy yum, Batman). But there are so many great alternatives out there. I'm more prone to eating cereal dry, by the handful, for a snack. Like, instead of potato chips.

Anyway, you can use any cereal you want in this recipe. I chose gluten free Vanilla Chex. They are so freaking good. You'll see in the photos that I did crush them up a bit (not into a powder, but just so they'd be a bit smaller and compact) before I measured them out. The other sorta odd thing I did? I froze these. I don't know why, but I love them just out of the freezer, just barely thawed a little. Read on for the recipe and pics.

Peanut butter has long been one of my favorite food groups. It's not a food group, you say? Shut your trap! In my world, it's most certainly a food group - an important one, at that. Ice cream and sushi are other important food groups here in Amyland, but I digress.

It's also no secret that I'm not a big chocolate fan. I know, it's weird. But put down your pitchforks for a moment! While I don't love chocolate in and of itself, I do like it in certain instances. I like it with and in things. I like it in chocolate chip cookies. I like it in chocolate milk. I love it with marshmallow, caramel, mint, or peanut butter. BINGO! PEANUT BUTTER! That's why these truffles are great. They're also great because they're 'raw', which the paleo and vegan crowds tend to be a big fan of.

This recipe comes from Raia's Recipes - a great resource for anyone seeking simpler eats, allergy-friendly treats, and less refined foods. You can view the original recipe here. Click "Read More" to see the recipe and pics. You won't be disappointed with this super simple treat.